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Willkommen, Germanophiles!
If you want to know about the Germany that lies beyond schnitzel, bratwurst, lederhosen, sausage, and Oktoberfest, then you’ve come to right place.
I’m Anika, born and raised in Germany. I have been living in the U.S. for 22 years. More about me and my journey here. While I am German, there are still many aspects of German culture that surprise me. I am happy to constantly find out new things about my home country, may it be about important people who were overlooked by history, inventions that I didn’t know were German, customs and traditions that are so specific to certain regions that I have never heard of them, or food that are local specialties that I haven’t had the chance to try.
Every week I spent many hours on research and writing interesting articles about Germany and its culture. If you like my work and would like to support me, you can do so by “buying me a coffee”. Just click on the “Buy me a coffee” icon.
To read my latest blog posts, you can go to “Blog”, click on the different menu items, and follow me via email. I also post many of my articles on Instagram. On Pinterest I collect many of the photos I use in my posts, and all the ones I couldn’t use due to space. 😉
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Danke! Thank you!
- Bird of the Year 1996 and 2024: Kiebitz (Northern Lapwing)
The Kiebitz (northern lapwing) was voted “Bird of the Year” (Vogel des Jahres) in Germany in 1996 and in 2024. The event is sponsered by NABU and LBV to draw attention of endangered birds. - German Christmas Songs: Morgen, Kinder, wird’s was geben – Tomorrow, Children, There Will Be Something
“Morgen, Kinder, wird’s was geben” (Tomorrow, Children, There Will Be Something) is a popular German Christmas song, based on a poem by Splittegarb from 1795. The melody we know today was written by C. G. Hering in 1809. The focus of the song is the excitement of the children. - Beacons in the Night: Lighthouses in Germany – North Frisia
Lighthouses (Leuchttürme) and other sea marks have guided seafarers through treacherous waters, during the day and especially in the night. Here is a list of lighthouses in North Frisia in Germany. - Johannistag (St. John’s Day) in Germany and Austria
June 24 is St. John’s Day or Johannistag. Overlapping with summer solstice celebrations (midsummer, Sonnenwende), people in Germany and Austria light fires and pick herbs and flowers, like St. John’s wort, which are especially potent around Mittsommer. - The Maikäfer (May Bug) in Germany and German Culture
Depending on the year, the Maikäfer (May bug or cockchafer) in Germany is called a pest or endangered. But it is also prevalent in German culture, from literature to art, from the military to festivals and cars. - Donauwelle – A Cake Inspired by the Danube River
Donauwelle is a German and Austrian cake, or rather Torte, that resembles the waves of the Danube river, hence the name. - German Spring Song: Alle Vögel sind schon da
A popular spring song in Germany is “Alle Vögel sind schon da” (All the birds are already here). It was written by Hoffmann von Fallersleben in 1835 and is sung to a melody by an unkown composer. - Who Was … Agnes Pockels?
Agnes Pockels (1862-1935) was a self-taught physical chemist who did groundbreaking work in the field of surface tension and invented the slide trough (Schieberinne). - Glühwein: Red, White, and Spritz
Glühwein or Mulled Wine is usually made with red wine and spices, but there is also a white version with white wine. And there is a cold summer version with champagne. - Hedwig Courths-Mahler: Popular Romance Novelist
💘📚 Hedwig Courths-Mahler (1867-1950) was one of the most popular writers of the early 20th century. She published over 200 novels and novellas, mostly romance novels. Most of her stories featured a couple who had to overcome obstacles and differences in social status before they were joined in love and marriage. Hedwig Courths-Mahler ca 1900.… Read more: Hedwig Courths-Mahler: Popular Romance Novelist - The Bobby Car: For Kids and Adults
On February 5, 1972 the first Bobby Car was introduced at the toy convention in Nuremburg. It‘s a hard plastic car with a steering wheel and horn. Kids use their feet to propel themselves forward on this Rutschauto (scoot car). Pediatricians actually recommend it for youngsters who have problems with their hips. Soon after Ernst… Read more: The Bobby Car: For Kids and Adults - August Horch: Founder of Horch and Audi
August Horch was born on October 12, 1868, was a mechanical engineer and founder of the companies Horch and Audi. When working for Karl Benz in Mannheim, he invented the reverse gear for cars.After he left Benz, he founded his own company and build his own cars. In order to survive, Horch turned his company… Read more: August Horch: Founder of Horch and Audi
